A young man from a small village in Punjab came to the city of dreams to become an actor and eventually emerged as one of Hindi cinema’s most-loved stars.
But long before he became the He-Man of Bollywood, he was met with rejections and hardships. Dharmendra, who would’ve turned 90 today, once recalled his tough phase in the initial years.
When Dharmendra Was Rejected By Filmmakers
During his appearance on Aap Ki Adalat, he had shared, “I watched my first film, Shaheed. Walking out of the theatre, I thought: Where do these people live? I want to go there. Maybe God melted because of the sincerity in my heart.”
He continued, “I was signed for Bandini, but Vimal Da and Guru Dutt always took time to make films. In a city like Mumbai, coming from a middle-class background, how do you manage? Later, I was called for a screen test for Love in Shimla. They looked at me and said, ‘We need a hero, not a hockey player.'”
This, however, didn’t break his spirit as he was determined to achieve his dreams and become a star. He shared, “I kept self-respect. Work is worship. I thought only about work.”
Dharmendra finally made his debut with Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere in 1960. Then came hits like Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Phool Aur Patthar, Ankhen, and Aaye Din Bahar Ke that made him a star. In the following years, he starred in memorable films like Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Chupke Chupke, and Yaadon Ki Baaraat.
His last film Ikkis is set to arrive in theatres on Christmas. Fans are eager to watch him on the big screen one last time.